Gaming apparatus with cooling of certain components

ABSTRACT

A system includes a gaming machine, one or more heat generating components within the gaming machine, and a thermoelectric cooler apparatus located within the gaming machine to draw heat from the one or more heat generating components.

RELATED APPLICATION

This patent application is a U.S. National Stage Filing under 35 U.S.C.371 from International Patent Application Ser. No. PCT/US2007/023578,filed Nov. 8, 2007, and published on May 22, 2008, as WO 2008/060444 A2and republished as WO 2008/060444 A3, which claims the priority benefitof U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/865,055 filed Nov. 9,2006 and entitled “GAMING APPARATUS WITH COOLING OF CERTAIN COMPONENTS”,the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in theirentirety.

LIMITED COPYRIGHT WAIVER

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains materialwhich is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has noobjection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patentdisclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patentfiles or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rightswhatsoever. Copyright 2006, 2007, WMS Gaming, Inc.

FIELD

Embodiments of the inventive subject matter relate generally to wageringgame systems, and more particularly, to wagering game systems includingcooling of certain components.

BACKGROUND

Computerized wagering games have largely replaced traditional mechanicalwagering game machines such as slot machines, and are rapidly beingadopted to implement computerized versions of games that aretraditionally played live such as poker and blackjack. Thesecomputerized games provide many benefits to the game owner and to thegambler, including greater reliability than can be achieved with amechanical game or human dealer, more variety, sound, and animation inpresentation of a game, and a lower overall cost of production andmanagement.

The elements of computerized wagering game systems are in many ways thesame as the elements in the mechanical and table game counterparts inthat they must be fair, they must provide sufficient feedback to thegame player to make the game fun to play, and they must meet a varietyof gaming regulations to ensure that both the machine owner and gamerare honest and fairly treated in implementing the game. Further, theymust provide a gaming experience that is at least as attractive as theolder mechanical gaming machine experience to the gamer, to ensuresuccess in a competitive gaming market.

Computerized wagering games do not rely on the dealer or other gameplayers to facilitate game play and to provide an entertaining gameplaying environment, but rely upon the presentation of the game andenvironment generated by the wagering game machine itself. Incorporationof audio and video features into wagering games to present the wageringgame, to provide help, and to enhance the environment presented aretherefore important elements in the attractiveness and commercialsuccess of a computerized wagering game system. Music and environmentaleffects are also played through speakers in some wagering game systemsto enhance or complement a theme of the wagering game. These soundstypically accompany video presentation of the wagering game on a screen,which itself often includes animation, video, and three-dimensionalgraphics as part of presentation of the wagering game.

All of these wagering game functions are typically managed by aprocessor executing wagering game code, which places a significantdemand on the processor and related components. Modern processors candissipate large amounts of power, and can quickly be destroyed if thegenerated heat is not controlled. Other components such as hard drivescan also generate heat. There is a need to provide sufficient cooling soas to ensure proper operation of a computerized wagering game machine.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example and notlimitation in the Figures of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a gaming machine system in accordancewith one embodiment.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of an inner portion of the gaming machinesystem of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a CPU enclosure for a gaming system,in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a CPU enclosure for a gaming system,in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a CPU motherboard, in accordance withone embodiment.

FIG. 6 shows an exploded perspective view of a thermoelectric coolerapparatus, in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a thermoelectric cooler apparatus, inaccordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 8 shows a cross-section view of a thermoelectric cooler apparatus,in accordance with one embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

In the following detailed description of example embodiments of theinvention, reference is made to specific example embodiments of theinvention by way of drawings and illustrations. These examples aredescribed in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art topractice the invention, and serve to illustrate how the invention may beapplied to various purposes or embodiments. Other embodiments of theinvention exist and are within the scope of the invention, and logical,mechanical, electrical, and other changes may be made without departingfrom the subject or scope of the present invention. Features orlimitations of various embodiments of the invention described herein,however essential to the example embodiments in which they areincorporated, do not limit other embodiments of the invention or theinvention as a whole, and any reference to the invention, its elements,operation, and application do not limit the invention as a whole butserve only to define these example embodiments. The following detaileddescription does not, therefore, limit the scope of the invention, whichis defined only by the appended claims.

Example Operating Environment

FIG. 1 illustrates a computerized wagering game machine system 100, asmay be used to practice some embodiments of the present invention. Thecomputerized gaming system shown generally at 100 is a video wageringgame system including a gaming machine 110, which displays informationfor at least one wagering game upon which monetary value can be wageredon video display 101. Video display 101 is in various embodiments a CRTdisplay, a plasma display, an LCD display, a surface conducting electronemitter display, or any other type of display suitable for displayingelectronically provided display information. In some furtherembodiments, additional displays such as a bonus game display or top boxdisplay 102 are further operable to display electronically providedinformation to a wagering game player. Alternate embodiments of theinvention will have other game indicators, such as mechanical reelsinstead of the video graphics reels shown at 103 that comprise a part ofa video slot machine wagering game.

A wagering game is implemented using software within the wagering game,such as through instructions stored on a machine-readable medium such asa hard disk drive or nonvolatile memory. In some further exampleembodiments, some or all of the software stored in the wagering gamemachine is encrypted or is verified using a hash algorithm or encryptionalgorithm to ensure its authenticity and to verify that it has not beenaltered. For example, in one embodiment the wagering game software isloaded from nonvolatile memory in a compact flash card, and a hash valueis calculated or a digital signature is derived to confirm that the datastored on the compact flash card has not been altered. The wagering gameimplemented via the loaded software takes various forms in differentwagering game machines, including such well-known wagering games as reelslots, video poker, blackjack, craps, roulette, or hold 'em games. Insome further embodiments, a secondary game or bonus game is displayed onthe secondary display 102, or other information such as progressive slotinformation or other community game information is displayed.

The wagering game is played and controlled with inputs such as variousbuttons 104 or via a touchscreen overlay to video screen 101. Thetouchscreen is used in some embodiments to display virtual buttons,which can have unique functions in some embodiments, or can duplicatethe functions provided by the mechanical buttons 104 in otherembodiments. In some alternate examples, other devices such as virtualbuttons 105 on the touchscreen display or a pull arm are employed toprovide other input interfaces to the game player, such as to initiatereel spin. The player interface components are in this example containedwithin or mechanically coupled to the wagering game system, but in otherembodiments will be located outside the wagering game system cabinetsuch as by a wired or wireless electronic connection to the wageringgame system.

Monetary value is typically wagered on the outcome of the games, such aswith tokens, coins, bills, or cards that hold monetary value. Thewagered value is conveyed to the machine such as through a changer 106or a secure user identification module interface 107, and winnings arereturned such as via a returned value ticket, a stored value card, orthrough the coin tray 108. Sound is also provided through speakers 109,typically including audio indicators of game play, such as reel spins,credit bang-ups, and environmental or other sound effects or music toprovide entertainment consistent with a theme of the computerizedwagering game. In some further embodiments, the wagering game machine iscoupled to a network, and is operable to use its network connection toreceive wagering game data, track players and monetary value associatedwith a player, and to perform other such functions.

In other embodiments, the computerized wagering game system takes one ormore other forms, such as a mobile or portable wagering game device, aserver-based wagering game device, or a networked wagering game system.These other computerized wagering game system embodiments need notcontain all features of the wagering game system of FIG. 1, which doesnot limit the scope of a computerized wagering game but is provided asan example only.

The wagering game machines 110 described herein can take any suitableform, such as floor standing models, handheld mobile units, bartopmodels, workstation-type console models, etc. Further, the wagering gamemachines 110 can be primarily dedicated for use in conducting wageringgames, or can include non-dedicated devices, such as mobile phones,personal digital assistants, personal computers, etc.

In one embodiment, the wagering game machine 110 can include additionalperipheral devices and/or more than one of each component shown inFIG. 1. For example, in one embodiment, the wagering game machine 110can include multiple external system interfaces and multiple CPUs. Inone embodiment, any of the components can be integrated or subdivided.Additionally, in one embodiment, the components of the wagering gamemachine 110 can be interconnected according to any suitableinterconnection architecture (e.g., directly connected, hypercube,etc.).

In one embodiment, any of the components of the wagering game system 100can include hardware, firmware, and/or software for performing theoperations described herein. Machine-readable media includes anymechanism that provides (i.e., stores and/or transmits) information in aform readable by a machine (e.g., a wagering game machine, computer,etc.). For example, tangible machine-readable media includes read onlymemory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disk storage media,optical storage media, flash memory machines, etc. Machine-readablemedia also includes any media suitable for transmitting software over anetwork.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of an inner portion of the gaming machinesystem 100 of FIG. 1. System 100 generally includes gaming machine 110that can include any of the features discussed above for gamingmachines. System 100 further includes one or more heat generatingcomponents 320, 330 located within gaming machine 110. Heat generatingcomponents 320, 330 can include a CPU 321 located on a motherboard 322,for example, a hard drive 331, and other mechanical or electricalcomponents within gaming machine 110. In one embodiment, heat generatingcomponents 320, 330 are located with a CPU enclosure 340. CPU enclosure340 is mounted within gaming machine 110 and includes certaincomponents, hardware and software to run the gaming machine. Forexample, CPU enclosure 340 can include a metal box having a size about12″×6″×3″. The components, such as mother board 322 and/or hard drive331 are mounted with the enclosure 340 and enclosure 340 includes powerand signal inputs and outputs for the components to receive power and tofunctionally communicate with the other components of the gaming system.

CPU 321 is sometimes called a microprocessor, controller, or centralprocessing unit (CPU). In some embodiments, more than one CPU ispresent, or different types of processors are present in the wageringgame system, such as using multiple processors to run gaming code, orusing dedicated processors for audio, graphics, security, or otherfunctions. The processor is coupled via a bus to various othercomponents, including memory and nonvolatile storage. The nonvolatilestorage is able to retain the data stored therein when power is removed,and in various embodiments takes the form of a hard disk drive,nonvolatile random access memory such as a compact flash card, ornetwork-coupled storage. Further embodiments include additional datastorage technologies, such as compact disc, DVD, or HD-DVD storage inthe wagering game system.

The bus also couples the CPU 321 and components to various othercomponents, such as a value acceptor, which is in some embodiments atoken acceptor, a card reader, or a biometric or wireless playeridentification reader. A touchscreen display and speakers serve toprovide an interface between the wagering game system and a wageringgame player, as do various other components such as buttons, pullarms,and joysticks. These components are located in a wagering game machinecabinet such as that of FIG. 1 in some embodiments, but can be locatedin multiple enclosures comprising a wagering game system or outside awagering game machine cabinet in other embodiments.

In operation, the wagering game system loads program code fromnonvolatile storage into memory, and the CPU 321 executes the programcode to cause the wagering game system to perform desired functions suchas to present a wagering game upon which monetary value can be wagered.This and other functions are provided by various modules in thecomputerized system such as an audio module, a game presentation module,or a touchscreen display module, where such modules comprise in someembodiments hardware, software, mechanical elements, manualintervention, and various combinations thereof

Since the heat generating components 320, 330 develop heat; the heatmust be removed to protect the components or other components within thegaming machine. In one embodiment, a thermoelectric cooler apparatus 350is located within gaming machine 110 to draw heat from the one or moreheat generating components 320, 330.

For example, in this embodiment, thermoelectric cooler apparatus 350 ismounted to an outer housing wall 312 of gaming machine 110 and isconfigured to direct heat out of gaming machine 110 via one or moreopenings 314 in the wall of the gaming machine. These openings can be ina side, front, top, or back wall of the gaming machine. In someembodiment, the openings have a louvered grille at the opening.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, in some embodiments, thermoelectric coolerapparatus 350 can be mounted within CPU enclosure 340 and openings 341direct heat outside enclosure 340. In other embodiments, as shown inFIG. 4, thermoelectric cooler apparatus 350 is mounted directly to anoutside wall of CPU enclosure 340.

Referring to FIG. 5, in some embodiments, a thermoelectric coolerapparatus 550 is mounted directly on at least one of the one or moreheat generating components, such as CPU 321.

In some embodiments, more than one thermoelectric cooler apparatus 350or 550, as discussed above, can be utilized, such that one or more aredirectly attached to a heat generating component, one or more aremounted on or within CPU enclosure 340, and/or one or more are mountedto the gaming machine 110.

FIG. 6 shows an exploded perspective view of thermoelectric coolerapparatus 350, in accordance with one embodiment. FIG. 7 shows aperspective view of thermoelectric cooler apparatus 350, and FIG. 8shows a cross-section view of thermoelectric cooler apparatus 350.

Thermoelectric cooler apparatus 350 includes a thermoelectric coolerdevice 610 and at least one heat sink 620 mounted to thermoelectriccooler device 610. In one example, thermoelectric cooler device 610includes a device having a shape of about 30 mm×30 mm and designed toremove enough heat to provide a temperature drop of about 10-20 degreesC.

Thermoelectric coolers, such as device 610, are solid state heat pumpsused in applications where temperature stabilization, temperaturecycling, or cooling below ambient are desired. Thermoelectrics is basedon the Peltier Effect, by which DC current applied across two dissimilarmaterials causes a temperature differential.

One typical thermoelectric module is manufactured using two thin ceramicwafers with a series of P and N doped bismuth-telluride semiconductormaterial sandwiched between them. The ceramic material on both sides ofthe thermoelectric adds rigidity and the necessary electricalinsulation. The N type material has an excess of electrons, while the Ptype material has a deficit of electrons. One P and one N make up acouple. The thermoelectric couples are electrically in series andthermally in parallel. A thermoelectric module can contain one toseveral hundred couples.

As the electrons move from the P type material to the N type materialthrough an electrical connector, the electrons jump to a higher energystate absorbing thermal energy (cold side). Continuing through thelattice of material, the electrons flow from the N type material to theP type material through an electrical connector, dropping to a lowerenergy state and releasing energy as heat to the heat sink (hot side).

In one embodiment, thermoelectric cooler device 610 can be sandwichedbetween a first heat sink 620 and a second heat sink 622. First heatsink 620 is attached by a heat conductive paste or epoxy to the hot sideof thermoelectric device 620 and second heat sink 622 is attached by aheat conductive paste or epoxy to the cool side of device 620.

In one example, cooler apparatus 350 including device 610 and heat sinks620, 622 can be mounted within a cooler enclosure 650 with at least onefan 630 directing air over heat sink 620 and/or heat sink 622. Forexample, cooler enclosure 650 can include a central wall 612 with a hole614. Thermoelectric device 610 can be mounted within hole 614 and heatsinks 620 and 622 can be mounted on either side of the device 610.Central wall 612 thus divides enclosure 650 into a hot side and a coolside. For example, in one embodiment, fan 630 is mounted proximate ahole 634 in enclosure 650 and pulls air out of the hot side of theapparatus 350 while air enters through hole 638. Likewise, a second fan632 is mounted at a hole 636 and pulls air into the enclosure via hole639. In some embodiments, fans 630, 632 can be mounted inside coolerenclosure 650 or on the outside of the enclosure 650.

Cooler apparatus 350, 550 discussed above can be installed by an OEM oras a retrofit. In one example, a power cord 810 provides the powersupply for fans 630, 632 and device 610. The cord 810 can include a plugand be plugged directly into a receptacle, for example. In someembodiments, each component can be hardwired electrically to power withthe gaming machine.

The embodiments of the thermoelectric cooler apparatus system discussedabove cool gaming machines and the CPU enclosures within gaming machinesmore extensively than in the past. The thermoelectric device 610 andapparatus 350 are space efficient solutions to actively cool heatgenerating components. For example, apparatus 350, including device 610,heat sinks 620, 622 mounted within enclosure 650 and having fans 630,632 can have a 3-D footprint of about 2″×2″×2″; or about 4″×4″×4″ orless. Using the thermoelectric apparatus allows for cooling of heatgenerating components to a much greater degree than solely using fans todissipate the heat. This allows the machine 110 to utilize higherperformance electronic components, which in turn improves gameplay.Moreover, running the CPU at well below its maximum operatingtemperature allows the CPU to have fewer failures and less down time.

In some embodiments, the thermoelectric cooling apparatus discussedabove can be used in place of, or in addition to, fans to cool suchcomponents as the CPU, power supply, displays, hard drives, and otherheat generating components within a gaming machine.

General

In this detailed description, reference is made to specific examples byway of drawings and illustrations. These examples are described insufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice theinventive subject matter, and serve to illustrate how the inventivesubject matter can be applied to various purposes or embodiments. Otherembodiments are included within the inventive subject matter, aslogical, mechanical, electrical, and other changes can be made to theexample embodiments described herein. Features or limitations of variousembodiments described herein, however essential to the exampleembodiments in which they are incorporated, do not limit the inventivesubject matter as a whole, and any reference to the invention, itselements, operation, and application are not limiting as a whole, butserve only to define these example embodiments. This detaileddescription does not, therefore, limit embodiments of the invention,which are defined only by the appended claims.

Each of the embodiments described herein are contemplated as fallingwithin the inventive subject matter, which is set forth in the followingclaims.

1. A system comprising: a gaming machine including a housing; one ormore heat generating components within the gaming machine housing; and athermoelectric cooler apparatus located within the gaming machinehousing and operable to draw heat from the one or more heat generatingcomponents, the thermoelectric cooler apparatus including: a coolerenclosure having a hot side compartment and a cold side compartmentseparated by a wall member, the hot side compartment having a hot sideinlet disposed within an interior of the gaming machine housing and ahot side outlet aligned with a first opening in an outer wall of thegaming machine housing, and the cold side compartment having a cold sideinlet aligned with a second opening in the outer wall of the gamingmachine housing and a cold side outlet disposed within the interior ofthe gaming machine housing; a thermoelectric device positioned within anopening in the wall member; a hot side heat sink disposed within the hotside compartment and directly coupled to a first surface of thethermoelectric device; and a cold side heat sink disposed within thecold side compartment and directly coupled to a second surface of thethermoelectric device.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or moreheat generating components includes a CPU.
 3. The system of claim 1,wherein the one or more heat generating components includes a harddrive.
 4. The system of claim 1, including a heat generating componentenclosure located within the gaming machine and housing one or more ofthe one or more heat generating components.
 5. The system of claim 1,wherein the thermoelectric cooler apparatus is mounted to the outer wallof the gaming machine housing and configured to direct heat out of thegaming machine.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the thermoelectriccooler apparatus includes a first fan adjacent to the hot side inlet andconfigured for directing air over the hot side heat sink.
 7. The systemof claim 6, wherein the thermoelectric cooler apparatus includes asecond fan adjacent to the cold side outlet and configured for directingair over the cold side heat sink.
 8. The system of claim 7, wherein thecooler enclosure is mounted to the housing of the gaming machine and thefirst fan directs air out of the housing of the gaming machine.
 9. Amethod comprising: mounting a thermoelectric cooler apparatus within agaming machine housing having one or more heat generating components,the thermoelectric cooler apparatus including: a cooler enclosure havinga hot side compartment and a cold side compartment separated by a wallmember; a thermoelectric device positioned within an opening in the wallmember; a hot side heat sink disposed within the hot side compartmentand directly coupled to a first surface of the thermoelectric device;and a cold side heat sink disposed within the cold side compartment anddirectly coupled to a second surface of the thermoelectric device;drawing heat away from the one or more heat generating components,including pulling a first stream of air into the hot side compartmentthrough a hot side inlet disposed within an interior of the gamingmachine housing, and discharging the first stream of air through a hotside outlet aligned with a first opening in an outer wall of the gamingmachine housing; and cooling the one or more heat generating components,including pulling a second stream of air into the cold side compartmentthrough a cold side inlet aligned with a second opening in the outerwall of the gaming machine housing, and discharging the second stream ofair through a cold side outlet disposed within an interior of the gamingmachine housing.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the thermoelectriccooler apparatus includes a first fan adjacent to the hot side inlet forpulling the first stream of air into the hot side compartment.
 11. Themethod of claim 10, wherein the thermoelectric cooler apparatus includesa second fan adjacent to the cold side outlet for pulling the secondstream of air into the cold side compartment.
 12. The method of claim 9,wherein the one or more heat generating components includes a CPU. 13.The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more heat generatingcomponents includes a hard drive.
 14. The method of claim 9, wherein thethermoelectric cooler apparatus is mounted to the housing of the gamingmachine and configured to direct heat out of the gaming machine.